


New Student

by Echo_S1



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Child Abuse, ColeisSweet, ConflictedLloyd, GarmadonEnterprizes, GarmadonisaTerribleFather, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, LloydisaRebel, M/M, NinjagoAU, Subject!Zane, ZaneisConfused
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 11:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18342983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echo_S1/pseuds/Echo_S1
Summary: In Ninjago City, business runs the show. When the employee of a wealthy businessman passes away and leaves behind a final "project", the company believes it is in the best interest of the fallen genius to complete it and pass it to the students of Ninjago High. Everything seems fine with that, except that this project isn't what it seems. He had a life once, and a human body, and a family. He wants to know why that was taken from him, what was wrong to cause his life to be snatched from his grasp like a toy to a child, and correct the mistake his killer made so long ago. But, will love get in his way?





	1. Presentation

New Student

**Chapter 1: Presentation**

As the operational Head Master and History Professor to the Freshmen of Ninjago High School, it was up to Sensei Wu to act as both the authoritative figure of the school and the students’ well-informed historical index as they passed through from middle school into his well-established territory. His school was the most favored out of the entire country, being that it had the best staff available. “Good morning, students.” Wu said as he entered Class 1A. “Good morning, sir.” some students replied. It was a Monday, so groggy students was something Wu was used to in Class 1A. As each student gathered their belongings and sat in their assigned seats, Wu began by listing off the day’s agenda. “Students, as you should know, there will be a well-respected visitor to our school this morning. Her name is Pixal Borg, a good friend of our dear Science Professor, Doctor Julien. She has a special presentation for us here at the high school, so I suggest you offer her you utmost respect and attention.” Wu started. Not long after, a young woman dressed in a business suit walked into the classroom, multiple files in her pale hands. “Hello. As you should know, my name is Pixal Borg. Yes, I am Cyrus Borg’s daughter, and yes, he does own the Borg Industries skyscraper downtown. Nevermind that. Anyway, I know most of you loved Doctor Julien’s work and passion very much. And, I know most of you know he passed away from cancer just a few months ago. But, as it seems, he had a final project in the works, and my father was kind enough to complete it for him. With nothing but a blueprint and a comatose child’s brain, we made the project for him, to share with you.” Pixal explained. She gestured to a pair of muscular men as they entered the room, hauling a large wooden box on a dolly. One used a crowbar to pry off the front of the box, revealing the surprise. It was built to look like a young man, about six feet six in height, with stark white skin and spiked blonde hair. His frame was thin and agile looking, possibly fast enough to outrun a bus if need be. The hair was designed from sensors cluttered together, pulsing with little blue stings of electricity. His eyes were closed, but were a nice circular shape. His lips were thin and a light shade of pink, his body in general resembling that of a frozen one. He was dressed in a blue and white sweater-vest, a pair of blue jeans, and blue tennis shoes to match. He  _ looked _ human, but everyone knew he  _ wasn’t _ . “I give you Doctor Julien’s final project: ZANE.” Pixal announced, the class clapping in reply. A young man at the front raised a muscular arm. “Yes?” Pixal asked. “What does he do?” the student asked. “Good question. He was built to protect those who cannot protect themselves, so to speak. He can pretty much do everything and anything, once adjusted to the environment. We did add a few features that will allow us to scan and create profiles of everyone he sees, and protect you from an off-site facility when the time comes.” Pixal explained. Another hand was raised, this time by a red-headed male. “Yes?” Pixal asked. “What’s its base code?” the student asked. “C plus plus.” Pixal replied. After a few more minutes of answering questions, Pixal clapped her hands together and smiled happily. “Alright, I think it’s time we set him up. But, there are some important things to go over. There  _ are _ safety features built into Zane. Now, if any of you appear to pose a threat to him, he will react with a programmed defensive maneuver. He is still human, on the inside, but robotic on the outside. He will  _ not _ engage you unless you pose a threat to him, yourself, or another. We will be monitoring his progress and shut him down if we find a significant bug in his system. If it comes to that, do  _ not _ make contact. No harm whatsoever should come to this unit, and I do hope that none of you are pranksters here. In conclusion, Zane will arrive here everyday at school as a student, and participate in school activities as you do.” Pixal finished. “Thank you for coming today, Miss Pixal. I do hope your presentation gets to the other classes alright.” Wu wished as Pixal and her two helpers moved to wheel Zane out of the room. “I hope you have a great day, Sensei Wu. Thank you, class, for listening.” Pixal replied, vanishing from view as the door closed behind her. As the student chatter began, Wu moved to stand in front of the class, gaining their attention. “Alright, students. Let’s get started with history. Today, we’re going to begin the industrial revolution.” the elderly man stated. Class continued for another hour, Wu observing his students carefully and quietly listening to the chatter as they spoke of their new transfer student. At the end of class, a single student remained in the room, fiddling with a pencil in his grip as he gathered his things to leave. It was Cole Hence, the first student to raise his hand during the presentation. Wu moved to stand at Cole’s desk, slowly placing his hand on the boy’s shoulder to calm him. “Sensei, why did he look so  _ real _ ?” Cole asked, refusing to look up from his feet. “Miss Pixal said he  _ is _ alive, Cole. She said he is alive on the inside. We should trust her words, since he came from such a dear professor of ours.” Wu replied, smiling softly. Cole nodded, slinging his backpack over his shoulder before heading to the door. “See you later, Sensei.” Cole stated, stepping out the door. “Will do, Cole. Have a good morning.” Wu reminded the student. As the day came and went, Wu’s mind wandered to Zane’s appearance. Something about the way Zane looked was familiar to him, but he couldn’t place a finger upon it. 


	2. Connections

**Chapter 2: Connections**

Wu returned to class the next day to find his new student sitting patiently at an empty desk at the back of the room, silent and gazing upon the contents of a large book. It was slightly startling to see one of  _ his _ students sitting like that: all prim and proper, much unlike most of his other students who slouched and played video games before class began. Seating himself at his desk, the elderly man dipped his attention into a book himself as the rest of his students arrived and the late bell rang. About twenty seconds after the late bell rang, Cole came running around the corner and slammed through the door, looking quite out of breath. “Sorry, I’m late! I missed the bus and the sidewalk traffic was horrible!” he explained, plopping into his seat with a thud. “It is quite alright, Cole. This would’ve been your first tardy this year, but I’m willing to let it slide. You had a good reason.” Wu replied, smiling warmly. “Thanks, Sensei. Have we started yet?” Cole asked, looking around. Nobody had any assignments out. “No. Class, please get out last night’s homework and a pencil or pen, please.” Wu instructed. On cue, Zane pulled out a sheet of paper marked as yesterday’s assignment, a pen, and neatly set his book down on a folded page. Turning around, Cole waved at him, beckoning him forward to the empty seat beside him. “Whatcha doing all the way back there? Come sit next to me, dude.” the teen offered. Zane glanced at Wu, a flash of nervousness in his cyan eyes. Wu nodded his agreement, watching the thin android quickly gather his things and move to sit beside the muscular teen. “I’m Cole, nice to meet you.” Cole stated, offering his hand to the android. “I am Zane, pleasure.” Zane replied, his voice soft and monotone. Wu handed out a small assignment, a simple worksheet, watching Cole turn to Zane. “Usually, we do these worksheets together, but it seems like you don’t have a partner. Want to be mine?” Cole offered with a soft smile. Given about thirty minutes to work together, the duo seemed to get along swimmingly, with Cole doing most of the talking. As class ended, Cole stood and smiled, proceeding to follow his fellow students out the door. Zane gathered his things and quickly gave chase, keeping close but not in an overly attached manner. Cole often smiled at the android, as if it made him comfortable to have him around. Before lunch, the teen paused at the lunchroom doors, stepping off to the side before entering. Zane offered Cole a quizzical look, raising an eyebrow as to what was preventing their entry. “I’d hate for you to see something like this every day, but our lunchroom is a complete mess. Every single day, there’s this kid named Lloyd who throws random stuff at people he doesn’t like. So, what I’m trying to say is: watch your head.” Cole warned, opening the door. Again, Zane followed him silently, entering into the chaos. Students all across the commons were shouting at each other, shoving in line, throwing things, flinging food, and being aggressive in different manners. One table sat at the far end of the room, displaying a young group of blonde. They each looked alike, similar outfits and hairstyles, but one stood apart. He sported shorter hair, pinker skin, green eyes, and a green outfit. Cole gestured to the teen as they sat at another table. “ _ That’s _ Lloyd. Don’t get in his way and you won’t get hurt. Whatever he does to you, just ignore it. His dad’s one of the most powerful people in Ninjago at the moment, followed by Borg.” Cole explained. Zane sat beside him at another table, one where they were joined by two other young men and a young woman. “This is Kai, Jay and Nya. Kai’s the best swordsman around. He’s in metalsmithing, too. Anything you want that looks cool, Kai can make it. Jay’s our robotics and electronics expert, and Nya’s our engineering specialist. We’ve got the top scores in our classes, in all our fields.” Cole explained, gesturing to each character in turn. “Sup, man.” Kai greeted. Jay grinned wildly, showing off gleaming teeth. Nya simply glanced up from her phone and waved slightly, smiling cheekily. Zane nodded politely to each in turn, observing their body language as he went. Suddenly, Cole’s body lurched forward, his head coming close to smacking the table. His hand flew to the back of his skull, gripping it lightly as he whimpered slightly in pain. “Lloyd?” Kai assumed, raising an eyebrow. “I think so, but that one  _ hurt _ . It’d have to be huge for him to throw it that far and still hit me.” Cole replied. Zane gently raised a cold hand to the back of Cole’s head, feeling a small bump forming where the impact site was. “You have a slight swelling of the lower cortex, and bruising underneath. Your injury is not serious, but it requires ice.” Zane reported. Kai lifted his head from underneath the table, a bruised apple in his hand. “I think this is what hit you.” he said, handing the apple to Cole. Cole examined the apple briefly before seeing Zane slowly reaching for it. “You want it?” he asked, offering the fruit to the android. Zane nodded, taking the item from the teen, turning around to Lloyd’s table and scanning the area. “This apple has come from Lloyd’s table by mark of trajectory, impact force, and range.” Zane reported, giving the blondes a hard stare. Back at Pixal’s robotics monitor lab, the woman had been going through her usual reports when one of Zane’s monitors was shouting to get her attention. “He’s altered the chemical makeup of his brain!” the monitor exclaimed, typing frantically on his keyboard. She came running, since Zane was a huge progress step in her career, and she needed to see change. “Put it on screen. I need to see it.” she ordered, a large image of the android’s human brain appearing on the massive monitor towards the top of the room. She watched it carefully, noting the way in which his dopamine levels were reacting and returning to normal. “This is…. _ impossible _ . We’ve cut off all the dopamine receptors in his brain! He’s undoing what we’ve done!” she stated in surprise. “His chemical balancers should have prevented something like this. Having a brain with inactive emotional sensory tissue  _ should _ have prevented something like this. I don’t understand.” she wondered, looking up as her father entered the room. Cyrus Borg moved to sit beside her, nestled neatly in his wheelchair as he examined the screens. “He’s trying to experience what  _ it feels _ like, Pixal. Once the human body experiences an emotion or sensation, it won’t forget it. You can’t keep the sense out of sensory, Pixal. Look, his epinephrine is rising.” Cyrus advised. “He’s getting frustrated.” Pixal concluded, considering their options. “Should we shut him down, Miss Pixal?” another monitor asked. After a moment, she shook her head. “No, let’s see where he goes with this. Monitor his movements, vitals, and vision. I want to see if he can stabilize himself.” she ordered. Back at Ninjago High School, the table of blondes only appeared to grow excited at the challenge offered to them, Lloyd standing up and strolling to the lunch line, returning to the table with another three pieces of fruit. “That’s it: I’m cutting his goddamn arms off!” Kai snapped, moving to get up. Cole blocked him, signalling to remain seated. “I want to see what Zane does.” Cole ordered. Reluctantly, the hothead remained seated, grumbling to himself. Cole watched as Lloyd shined the apples on his shirt, before launching them across the room in quick succession. As the teen expected another blow to the head, the sound of silence was much more frightening. The entire lunchroom had gone quiet, prompting the teen to open his eyes. Zane stood in front of him, holding all three apples that had been evenly cut and prepared to be served. The teen hadn’t even heard a sound. Shocked, he watched the android place the apples in the middle of the table, gesturing for the group to eat them. “ _ Nice _ , Zane. I  _ like _ you.” Kai grinned, helping himself to the food. After lunch, Cole and Zane returned to Wu’s classroom, where the elder awaited another report on his nephew. Out of breath, Cole awaited Wu’s response to his story. “Interesting. So, he threw a total of four apples at you, one of which struck you in the back of the head?” Wu asked, Cole nodding to confirm. Wu finished his report and filed it away, smiling softly at the students. “You may return to your routines. Thank you for this report. I will deal with Lloyd later, I assure you.” Wu promised. “Thanks, Sensei.” Cole replied, heading out the bus plaza. “Thank you, Sensei Wu.” Zane stated, nodding politely. “It’s not an issue, Zane. Please, head home and be safe on the way.” Wu wished. Zane nodded once more, following Cole out the plaza. As Cole joined the growing crowd to get onto his bus, he paused to turn to the android. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then, Zane. Thanks, for everything today.” Cole smiled softly, bringing the android into a firm hug. At the monitor lab, a monitor shot up from her seat and yelled a startling exclamation throughout the room. “We’ve got a spike in electronic pulse rate!” she cried. Pixal came to her computer, examining the screen. The right image displayed Zane hugging Cole, the other showed Zane’s power source pulsing a little harder, and his brain lighting up with activity. His brain was lighting up in the temporal lobe, Zane’s  dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphin levels elevated.  Borg sat beside her, examining the same screens. The handicapped man grinned to himself, clearly impressed with his old friend’s creation. “It appears our little ZANE unit  _ likes _ that young man. He’s already profiled the boy’s behavior and physical status. He wants to connect, like a puppy to a child.” Borg stated. “He’s undoing all the surgeries and studies we did to make him robotic, father. If he fully undermines all the work we’ve done, there’s no telling what he might remember.” Pixal replied. Cole pulled away from Zane and smiled again, getting onto his bus. Zane watched, standing alone in the bus plaza, as Cole’s bus pulled away, taking his new best friend home. 


	3. Memory

**Chapter 3: Memory**

The next day, Cole arrived to the classroom early, but could not locate Zane anywhere. Concerned, the student approached Wu’s desk. “Sensei, have you see Zane?” he asked shly. “I have not. I haven’t seen him since yesterday.” Wu replied. Cole gulped slightly, seating himself at his desk. ‘Did he leave? Did something happen to him? Did Pixal recall him?’ he pondered as Nya came running through the door. She was out of breath, her chest heaving. “Cole, let’s go! You’ve  _ got _ to see this!” she yelled, taking back off down the hall. Cole jumped from his seat and followed her to the gym, where a large crowd of students had gathered. The clanging of metal on metal could be heard every few seconds within the gym’s space, and Cole could see spark fly occasionally. When he and Nya finally managed to push to the front, his eyes struggled to settle upon the scene before him: Zane was fighting Kai. Being that Kai was the best swordsman in the school, having won numerous championships and such, Cole considered the chance that the hothead had challenged Zane to a fight. Kai was armed with a single katana, another on his back, while both of Zane’s forearms had been transformed into long, thin blades, easily used for swordplay. Kai was doing his best to remain at the top of the swordsman’s list, swinging expertly at the android while Zane gracefully dodged and countered his attacks. Launching into the air to avoid a leg blow, Zane soared above Kai gracefully, the teenager gazing up at him with michenious expression. Countering with a swing high above his head, Kai hooked Zane’s shoelace and slammed him into the ground. Dazed, Zane lie on his back, both arms bent to support his body as Kai approached, his sword hanging low to his side. To Cole’s amusement, some kids were even filming the fight. “How long has this been going on?” Cole asked, turning to Nya. “Almost an hour. I’m surprised Kai hasn’t collapsed in exhaustion by now.” Nya admitted, grinning wickedly. Cole watched as Kai moved to put his foot on the android’s chest, pinning him down to the floor, while hovering his sword over the android’s throat. The entire area went dead. No noise, just silence. “Any last words?” he asked, slightly out of breath. Zane shook his head, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. Kai sheathed his sword and tapped the covered end to the android’s throat, making a slashing noise with his mouth. “I win.” he stated, stepping off the android’s chest. The crowd around the gym erupted into applause, clapping loudly in victory of their classmate. After a moment of savoring the glory, Kai bent and helped Zane from the floor, smiling gleefully. “Let’s do this again, sometime. It was fun.” he chuckled. Zane nodded, accepting the small hug the teen offered him. During the hug, however, Kai wasn’t looking at the android, he was staring behind him, where Lloyd was giving an evil smirk. Kai knew he was going to make a move soon, and he wasn’t sure who was going to be the one to kill their android, but he didn’t know of anyone else who hated the group more than Lloyd. As the day progressed again, Zane rejoined Cole at class, followed him around all day, before escorting him out to the buses. “That was an amazing show of swordsmanship, Zane. At least, I know you can defend yourself now. I’ll see you around.” Cole said, hugging the android. He stepped forward as his bus pulled up, leaving the android standing at the front of the school all alone, seemingly out of place. After a moment of watching Cole’s bus vanish down the street, Zane turned and walked down the street, entering the metallic facility he knew as home. He dressed for bed, attached himself to his nutrient port, and closed his eyes. At the monitoring lap,  Pixal walked in on at least a dozen shifting images of a child on screen, one with blonde hair and green eyes. “What’s he doing?” she asked aloud. “Apparently accessing the police database to check the background of a child named Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon. He’s checking everything: prison records, police documents, suspect behavior, assaults in school, detentions, grades, classes, and suspected behavioral illnesses. He’s being very thorough on this kid.” a monitor replied, trying to make sense of the images popping up on screen. “Sift through them and bookmark anything that seems significant. I want to know what he’s looking at.” Pixal ordered her team. Zane knew they were watching him, but he didn’t care. He needed to know more about Lloyd Garmadon. Kai was constantly glancing over his shoulder during their fight, at this certain student. He sifted through dozens of digital files, pausing at one marked by a red stamp. Scanning it slowly, he examined the files within: “Full Analysis: Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon”. He checked the profile image just to be sure it was the correct student.  _ Garmadon _ . He’d heard that name before. That name cause his heart to shudder in…. _ fear _ . Why does he know that name? Why does that sound familiar? He began to dig through his own memory files, comparing the data to the information in the files on Lloyd. Every memory file he’d had previously had was erased for “security reasons”. Every other one, save for his newest, was either locked, encrypted to a degree that would take hours to decode, or corrupted. He discarded all of the old ones, searching through each memory bank until a single file displayed itself: F1l3 70k2h4t8o-D0ct0r Jul13n (D34th). The file was corrupted, but Zane could make out what it really was: File 70,248-Doctor Julien (Death). He’d been told that Doctor Julien was his creator, his  _ father _ , but the man was dead. Zane poured half his repair skills into fixing the file, waiting a few hours before he could actually view it. A simple video file sat before him, open and taunting. Preparing himself, he opened it. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on a bed, limp and weak. The bedsheets were pure white, decorated with little blue snowflakes. The walls of the room were cyan, calming to him. He noted that his motor functions were impaired significantly. He could barely  _ breathe _ , an oxygen mask strapped to his face. He could barely feel his arms and legs. He was, in a sense,  _ useless _ . A man sat beside him, reading a book aloud. The book’s cover depicted it as  _ The Man Who Knew Infinity _ , by Robert Kanigel, a truly mathematical read. The man was somewhat elderly, his hair slicked back into a bold einstein-like style, silvery to every extent. The wrinkles on his face showed the numerous stresses he suffered, including the lack of proper sleep based on the massive eyebags he sported, swollen with exhaustion. His eyes were a cool blue and soft to the look, kindly glancing up every once in awhile to smile at the youth. Zane identified him as Doctor Aster Julien almost instantly. “Thank you for the story, father.” he heard himself say as the man stowed the book on the bedside table. His own voice was weak and monotone, but it held the gratitude the elderly man clearly deserved. “It’s not a problem, Zane. Now, you remembered to take your medications right?” the man asked. “Yes, father.” he replied, gesturing to at least a half dozen bottles of varying medications on the bedside table. Most appeared to be used to treat chemotherapy, several used to treat tumors caused by brain cancer. “Alrighty, then, Zane. I’ll see you in the morning. I have to stay up late doing some research, but I’ll go to bed, I promise.” the man replied, closing the curtain and the white, wooden door to Zane’s room. Later in the video, as the film time-skipped to eleven thirty, shouting awoke the small teen. “I asked for promising  _ robotic  _ results, Julien! I didn’t tell you to create cancer treatments for your stupid kid! I told you what to do, gave you funding, and you used it for bullshit like this? Do you  _ want _ to keep your job?” another man’s voice, much deeper and threatening, shouted. The voice didn’t seem very far away, so Zane calculated he was in ten foot to twenty foot radius from himself. “Be quiet! My son is trying to  _ sleep _ ! I don’t understand why you don’t consider the families of your employees, Garmadon! Your “Garmadon Insurance Benefits” won’t even cover my son’s medical bills, so I’m forced to save him using other methods! I’m freehanding this, and your stupid company is trying to kill my son! Have some backbone and act like a father yourself!” Julien replied in a hushed, but harsh tone. “ _ I _ run the company, the  _ employees _ do what they’re told, whether they like it or not, and don’t complain unless they want to be fired!” Garmadon growled back.  _ Garmadon _ . That’s where he’d heard the name before. Slowly, Zane maneuvered his legs to the side of the bed, and stood up. He wobbled slightly, but kept his balance as he pulled back the curtain, headed to the door and carefully opened it. The hallway was dark, the lights being turned off a long time ago. He wobbled to the living room, finding a smashed lamp on the floor. He was barefoot, so he took great care in avoiding the broken ceramic pieces. The sound of a thump in the room a little farther forward, which was his father’s workshop, startled him. He wobbled to its open door, peeking in. Garmadon stood over his father, a knife in his hand, the blade covered in blood. His father was bleeding from his chest onto the floor, trying to explain his situation. “I want my product, Julien! Give it to me! Your son can die for all I care!” Garmadon shouted, slashing at Julien’s arm. Zane rushed forward and caught the man’s hand, flinging the knife from his grip. “N0! D0n’t hurt f4th3r!” he screeched, his voice a mixture of robotic syllables and human speech. “Get off me, brat!” Garmadon snapped, throwing Zane backward onto the floor. “Zane,  _ no _ .” Julien whined from his seat on the floor, tears forming in his eyes. Zane quickly got to his feet, standing defensively in front of his father, blocking Garmadon’s path to him. “D0n’t hurt my f4th3r!” he exclaimed again, spreading his arms in a t-pattern. Garmadon raised an eyebrow, smirking. “So,  _ this _ is what you were doing with my funding? Turning your kid into a robot, huh?” the man grinned, showing off a mouthful of pearly teeth. Zane didn’t like the man’s smile. “Don’t hurt my son!” Julien pleaded, his weak voice quivering to escape his throat. Garmadon stepped forward, eyeing Zane up and down. “It’s well made. A product of the greatest robotic mind in history, for sure.” Garmadon complemented, reaching towards Zane’s neck. Zane remained stiff as Garmadon squeezed his neck, trying to draw a reaction from him. “I bet I can strangle it the same way, can’t I?” he hissed, Zane gasping as his oxygen was cut off. “Let him go!” Julien snapped, his blood loss having an affect on his attitude. “Shut up, Julien! You have no say in what I do!” Garmadon hissed back. Julien went silent afterwards, struggling to breathe as he began to bleed out. Garmadon eyed Zane’s face, running a hand down his cheek. “What do you say we remove the fleshy parts of him, and make him all robotic? He’d live forever, and wouldn’t have the cancer you’re trying so hard to save him from.” Garmadon suggested. “No!” Julien hissed angrily, blood spurting from his mouth. “Aw, don’t be so aggressive, doctor. Listen, I’ll take care of this part, you just take care of yourself, okay?” Garmadon teased, walking Zane over to Julien’s specimen container. Lifting the lid, Garmadon threw aside the doctor’s random body parts and other projects, shoving Zane inside it. Closing the lid, he locked the door with a padlock. “Alright, now: where do you keep the hose?” Garmadon asked. Zane could hear the man walk away, vanish for a few minutes before returning, apparently carrying something heavy. Then, the container began to fill with water.  _ Freezing _ water. The container itself was already freezing cold, and now Garmadon was filling it with cold water. Zane kept to the upper portion of the container as he began to run out of space, just as his father taught him if he couldn’t get out of the bath. When his air ran out, he ducked beneath the surface, frantically clawing at the bottom of the container. He was hoping to loosen something, a drainage system, so the water would leave and he could breathe again. His body was going numb piece by piece, he didn’t have long. “I want to say goodbye!” he remembered hearing himself scream, his lungs filling with water. The cold began to fill him, his eyes closing. The blackness was overtaking him, drowning out his thoughts. He pounded on the door with all his tiny might, desperate for escape. “You only had a year to live, kiddo. Consider this a blessing that I’m ending it early for you.” Garmadon’s voice echoed in his ears. As his vision faded and his heart patterned to a standstill, Zane’s whispered a few words. “Goodbye, father.” he whispered, though his voice wouldn’t work. That door was the last thing Zane ever saw before he woke up in this new robotic body, with new people around him, and in a new place. Zane came back online as he rebooted his memory files, pondering what he’d just witnessed.  _ Garmadon _ : the man who  _ killed _ him. 


	4. Attack

**Chapter 4: Attack**

The next day, Cole arrived at school to find Zane sitting patiently at his desk, waiting for him. He greeted Cole with a soft smile and a nod, Cole himself returning the smile. As the students seated themselves, Zane’s eyes wandered to the classroom’s door again and again. “Something on your mind, Zane?” Cole asked, once it was work time and they were allowed to talk. Standing and moving to the door, Zane carefully pried it open, leaning his head out. He paused, apparently listening for something. “Zane?” Cole asked, raising an eyebrow at the android’s strange behavior. Shoving the door open with all his might, Cole watched in shock as the android bolted down the hall, the door flying off its hinges and clattering to the floor, completely forgotten in his wake. “Zane!” Cole cried, taking off after the android, with a nod in Sensei Wu’s direction. The emptiness of the hallways allowed Zane to easily pass through them, pausing at the boy’s bathroom door just a hundred or so feet from Wu’s classroom. He paused as Lloyd’s group exited the bathroom, power tools in their hands, snickering amongst themselves. They didn’t see the android, since he hid behind the door as they opened it, concealing himself. Once they vanished from view, Zane rushed into the bathroom, checking each stall in turn. The last stall in the row of eight displayed a pair of legs sticking out from underneath it, displaying Lloyd’s victim. Kicking open the door, he viewed the scene before him. A young man lie against the toilet, his head pinned inside the bowl by a wooden board that had been screwed into the seat. He wasn’t moving, but Zane was still tracking his life signature. Transforming his left hand into a blade, he slashed the board in two, yanking the body from the water. Just seconds after, Cole came running into the bathroom, breathing heavily. His eyes widened at the sight of Jay, one of his closest friends, lying limp in the android’s arms. Jay was soaked from the shoulders up, his breathing undetectable by Zane’s scanners. “Jay! Jay, wake up dammit!” Cole cried, shaking the redhead. Jay didn’t respond. “Do something! We have to  _ do _ something, goddammit!” Cole shrieked, Zane transferring Jay into his arms. Cole watched as Zane lifted his arm, slamming his elbow down on Jay’s chest. Water spurted from Jay’s mouth onto his stomach, his coughing following up in a rough series. “Jay! Oh my god!” Cole cried, hugging his friend tightly. Jay sputtered as he regained his breath, curling tight into Cole’s body. “He-he tried to  _ kill _ me!” the redhead whimpered, terrified. Wu appeared at the door to the bathroom not long after Jay’s revival, whipping out his cell phone to contact an ambulance. The teacher paced the hallway as some students exited their classrooms to change classes, coming upon the scene. Nya and Kai stood in the growing crowd, Nya crying her eyes out as Zane and Cole carried Jay out of the bathroom and laid him on the floor. Zane checked Jay’s throat, chest, and pulse, finding a strong pulse against his sensors, signalling Jay’s recovery. Nya knelt beside Jay as the ambulance arrived, unwilling to leave his side until they told her she couldn’t ride with him. Once Jay was out of sight and being transferred to the hospital, she wrapped Zane and Cole in a tight hug. “Thank you! Thank you both for saving my boyfriend!” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. Cole instantly hugged Nya back, watching in amusement as Zane slowly lifted his arms to do the same. “He’ll be alright, Nya. Trust me, if Jay can take a generator explosion, he can take a little water.” Kai offered, patting the woman’s back to soothe her. With an ordeal as big as this, Wu ordered the students to return home, cancelling the rest of the school day. As Zane walked Cole out the bus plaza, Kai and Nya joined them. “You guys want to come over?” Cole offered. “Sure. We can play games and listen to you sing.” Kai teased, grinning wickedly at Cole’s frown. “Zane can come, too!” Nya added, turning to the android. Cole raised an eyebrow at the android, smirking. “Want to hear me play some music?” Cole asked, Zane nodding. “Alright, then. Everybody, on the bus!” Cole ordered, getting onto a bus and seating himself. As Zane boarded, Cole moved aside, leaving the space open. Seating himself next to the teen, Zane found himself liking the close proximity. Cole’s home was an estate of smaller size, bordered by a wondrous garden and beautiful white fence out front. Cole showed them up to the second floor, opening the door to a rather large bedroom. As the others got settled on various bean-bag chairs and such, Zane seated himself on the bed, Cole beside him. “Well, Zane, this is my room.” Cole said, gesturing to the numerous posters and musical equipment filling the space. “Play us a song!” Nya cheered, shifting in a bean-bag chair. Cole nodded, picking up a guitar and giving it an experimental strum. He sat and adjusted the strings carefully, pausing to think of a song. In a deep voice, he began to sing and play: 

_ “I’m in love with an angel, heaven forbid _

_ Made me a believer with the touch of her skin _

_ I’d go to hell and back with you _

_ Stay lost in what we found. _

_ Worlds apart we were the same _

_ Until we hit the ground _

_ Maybe I’m crazy, maybe I’m weak _

_ Maybe I’m blinded by what I see _

_ You wanted a soldier but it wasn't me _

_ 'Cause I could never set you free _

_ So fly on your own _

_ It’s time I let you go _

_ Go _

_ I’m in love with an angel who’s afraid of the light _

_ Her halo is broken but there's fight in her eyes _

_ Walls are built to keep us safe _

_ Until they’re crashing down _

_ Worlds apart we were the same _

_ Until you hit the ground _

_ Maybe I’m crazy, maybe I’m weak _

_ Maybe I’m blinded by what I see _

_ You wanted a soldier but it wasn't me _

_ 'Cause I could never set you free _

_ So fly on your own _

_ It’s time I let you go _

_ Go _

_ Walls are built to keep us safe _

_ Until they’re crashing down _

_ Worlds apart we were the same _

_ Until you hit the ground _

_ Maybe I’m crazy, maybe I’m weak _

_ Maybe I’m blinded by what I see _

_ You wanted a soldier but it wasn't me _

_ 'Cause I could never set you free _

_ So fly on your own _

_ It’s time I let you go _

_ So fly on your own _

_ It’s time I let you go _

_ Go.” _

Cole strummed a few more times before replacing the guitar back against the wall, Nya and Kai clapped, looking back at Zane. Sitting beside the teen, his eyes stared blankly at Cole. “Well, did you like it?” Cole asked shyly. To his shock, a small, gleaming tear slid from Zane’s eye, down his cheek, and vanished into his collar. “Zane, are you crying?” Kai asked, jumping up from his sitting position to bring the android into a hug. Zane accepted the embrace quietly, sobbing even quieter into the crook of the teen’s shoulder. “Aw, Zane. It was just a song. It wasn’t meant to upset you.” Kai offered, patting the android’s back to soothe him. “Hey, it’s okay. There’s nothing to be upset about.” Cole offered, smiling softly at the android. Wiping the tear from his face, Zane leaned down and scooped a violin off the floor, examining it carefully. “Like it? It’s been in my family for years, but I never had the heart to learn how to play. I’m more of a guitar guy.” Cole explained. Angling the violin against himself, Zane gently began to play. Musical notes of all kinds poured out of the instrument, filling the room with tunes ranging from sad to angry to happy and back again. The android’s fingers methodically shifted against the strings as he played, his back remaining straight and proper, as if he’d played the instrument for years. Once his notes slowly died down and stopped, he looked to Cole for approval. Tears openly slid down the teenager’s cheeks, a smile on his face. “So  _ beautiful _ .” he said, a hand on his heart. Hearing sniffles to his right, Zane turned to find Nya and Kai scrubbing their faces with their shirts, trying to wipe the tears away. “It was  _ so _ nice.” Nya complemented, smiling happily at the android. “I’ve never heard anything more beautiful in my life.” Kai added, smudging the tears across his face. The teenagers discussed music for a little while longer until Kai and Nya had to leave, Cole and Zane effectively alone for the time being. The sun was going down, casting shadows all over Cole’s room. Zane could feel his heart speeding up minute by minute. It seemed as if Cole was getting closer and closer to him, either for comfort, or for affection, and it was really distracting for the android. After Cole’s eighth song, and Zane was left in tears for a second time, the android had given up holding back. He froze when he felt Cole’s hand on his face, the teen using his thumb to gently wipe away the tears on his artificial skin. “Don’t cry, Zane. You’re so much prettier when you don’t.” Cole stated, smiling softly. Cole gently turned Zane’s head to face him, their eyes meeting. “Are we compatible, Cole?” Zane blurted, biting his lip. Cole pondered the question for a moment before licking his lips. “Yeah, I think so.” the teen replied, leaning forward. Slowly, Cole captured Zane’s lips in a tender kiss, effectively frying his brain. When they parted so Cole could breathe, Zane turned away, cheeks turning blue. “Was the term for that “kissing”?” he asked. Cole smirked, nodding. “May we do more of this “kissing”?” Zane requested, Cole licking his lips. Cole grabbed hold of Zane’s collar, yanking him forward so they were face to face. “ _ Hell _ yes.” he replied, capturing the android’s lips once more. 


	5. Fright

**Chapter 5: Fright**

Zane and Cole interacted for quite awhile before Zane found himself returning to his “home”, walking the street much later into the night. He pondered the sensation of Cole’s body against his own, the teen’s warmth counteracting his own metallic cold. He paused to pass through Ninjago City Park, gazing up at the wondrous fountain sitting in the center of the massive series of gardens and pools. The water was gleaming, a beautiful sight, using the moonlight like a mirror to project Zane’s own image back at himself. His fingers ghosted across his lips as the memory of Cole’s kiss made his artificial heart shudder once more, his own skin longing for the teen’s touch. He turned away from the fountain, walking back to his home, only to sit awake in bed for hours at a time. He couldn’t rest, but he couldn’t determine why. He saved Cole’s songs in his memory files, just to be sure he wouldn’t forget them, before the proximity alarm went off in his internal systems. Swiftly getting up and moving about the house, Zane easily located the intruder. Lloyd sat in the living room, armed with a spiked baseball bat. The door to the house had been unlocked, not picked, which begged the question if Lloyd owned the security code. “Glad you’re awake, tin can.” the teen greeted, resting the bat lazily against his shoulder. Glaring at him with glowing cyan eyes, Zane remained silent. “You know, something I noticed about you is that you’re pretty weak emotionally, just like you were when you were still human. I take it that you remember what my dad did to you?” Lloyd asked. Zane nodded, crossing his arms. “I do not understand  _ why _ there was a need to execute me. If my father was producing his product, then there was no need to remove my cerebral functionality.” Zane replied. “He wanted you to be fully robotic. He  _ wanted _ an android, a robot. He wanted a servant that would obey no matter the order. If you still had a brain, you would still have the ability to object to his orders.” Lloyd answered. “I would have the ability, no matter the circumstance. The laws of robotics state that free will given to an android cannot be removed. I am no one’s property. I am my own property.” Zane protested. “I doubt that, tin can. You know, my dad told me what happened to yours. He said he sliced your old man up, ground him into little bits, and burnt him in his own furnace. Nobody ever found the body, as far as my dad was concerned. But, he lied. He told me later, when I was old enough, that he buried the body behind the house, in the garden. I didn’t believe him, until Borg Industries published an article about Doctor Julien’s body being discovered and sent for forensic testing. So far, they can’t prove my dad’s the one who killed him. But, you’ve got your robotic memory. I think you can prove he did it and put him where he belongs: in prison.” Lloyd explained. “Why did you harm Jay Walker?” Zane asked. Lloyd shrugged, looking vulnerable. “My dad told me to pick a target and take them out. I didn’t  _ want _ to hurt anybody. He told me to do something distinctive. He told me anything bad I did he could get me pardoned for. He wants me to be big and bad, but I’m not like that. Those guys you see at my table? They’re not friends, they’re just people who want my dad’s money when I end up taking control of the company.” Lloyd explained. “What is your father’s next move?” Zane asked. Lloyd bit his lip, rubbing his arm nervously. “He’s targeting your friends. He’s going to kill them.” Lloyd replied. Zane felt his optical circuit twitch in anger. “Where? When?” he demanded. “He’s sending people after them tonight. I came to warn you, so you could go after them. Don’t worry about killing the kidnappers, just save your friends. I can handle the bodies, if you leave any.” Lloyd replied. “Where is he taking them?” Zane asked. “The basement of the Garmadon Estate. He wants to make sure each of them suffers a fate similar to yours. Get there fast, and don’t waste time taking to him, he’s insane.” Lloyd advised. Zane nodded, heading to the front door. “What are you going to do in the meantime?” he asked. “I’ve got to fake a phone call.” Lloyd replied, fishing his cell phone from his pocket and flipping it open. “Why are you helping me?” Zane asked as Lloyd dialed someone. “Because that bastard threatened my mother. Nobody threats Lloyd Garmadon’s  _ mother _ and gets away with it.” Lloyd whispered back, watching as the android vanished out the front door. Zane used his hoverboard to fly through the city of Ninjago, using the security cameras to track the vans containing Cole, Kai, Nya, and Jay to the Garmadon Estate. Flying along the road to the mansion, Zane found the entrance and exits devoid of guards, signalling this matter as a private affair. Quietly opening the front door, Zane slipped inside the silent home. The house was extremely large in size, decorated with colors of black and purpling varieties. Zane didn’t spend much time in finding the basement door, which was metallic and sealed like a vault door. A small note greeted him on the window, tacked up by a single piece of tape: 

 

_ Zane,  _

_ I do hope you remember me. I look forward to meeting you again, though keep in mind that the people you consider friends are with me, so watch your step. Disarm yourself when you enter, or I will be forced to end their pitiful lives much sooner than I’d like. My security systems are off, if you’d like to know, because I consider this a private matter. You are welcome to explore before you come to find me, but keep in mind that this place harbors things much more dangerous than you, too. _

_ Thank you, _

_Garmadon_

 

Folding the man’s note and placing it on the small table next to the vault door, Zane used his robotic strength to pry the door open and proceed down a flight of white tiled stairs. The stone stairs only lasted about two minutes of a walk’s length, exiting into a series of white tiled hallways. The hallways, however, were clean and sterile, lit brightly by fluorescent lights spaced perfectly along the ceiling. Beginning with the first hallway, Zane moved into the sector marked “Surgery”. At least a dozen rooms lined the single hallway, each stocked with enough medical equipment to seem like a miniature hospital. Each was marked with a number, and a patient board. Their patient boards were blank for the moment, each of the rooms as sterile as the hallway. The final room, however, was not blank. The board read his medical information: 

 

Zane Tesla Julien: 

  * Age: 18
  * Height: 6’6’’
  * Weight: 90 lbs
  * Blood Type: AB-
  * Relatives: Dr. Aster Julien



 

‘Was I one of these patients?’ Zane thought, passing into the next hallway marked “Specimen Containment”. Dozens of heavily armored containment cells lined the hall, each marked by a number, a few actually still harboring the results of some unfortunate experiment. The subjects within were deformed and disgusting to the sight, twisted and dysfunctional to the extremes. Seeing their similarity to humans disturbed Zane as he passed by, the android wondering if they actually harbored any human DNA. Again, the final cell appeared to be his, but it displayed different information than what was for his human body: 

 

ZANE

  * Physical ID Type: Robotic
  * Project Name: ZANE
  * ID Code: Z4N3
  * Project Expansion: Zoneless Alternative Nonnegativity Engine



 

The cell itself was filled to the brim with books of every genre and subject, lacking any space to properly eat or sleep. The next hall was filled with treatment beds, each lacking any personality save for, again, the final one. A small vase of blue lilies sat on the bedside table, joined by a pair of headphones playing violin music. In the corner of the room a violin sat, clean but untouched. Recognising the curtains, Zane moved into the room, examining the space. It was sterile, clean, white and oddly calming. ‘This is my home. This is where I was born, and where I was treated for my brain cancer. This is the place where I was really created.’ Zane thought, taking in the scenery. A small poster of the periodic table of elements sat against the western wall, polarized by a picture of scientific rule to study. Sitting on the bed, he opened the bedside table’s drawer, finding a single book inside. Running his fingers over the cover, he smiled as he read the title:  _ The Man Who Knew Infinity _ . Feeling a slight bump further in the book, he turned the pages to find a small necklace situated within the paper. The necklace sported a small USB stick marked by a white snowflake, its overall color pure black. ‘Thank you, father.’ Zane thought silently, slipping the necklace from the book and hanging it around his own throat. Placing the book on the table, he exited the room, heading down the hall to the left. The final hallway was a series of rooms drenched in blood, sweat, metals, and other strange particles that only assaulted Zane’s sensory tissue as he approached them. Finding himself standing at the final door’s frame, he gazed out into the wide room. Each of his friends were wrapped into some form of torture: Nya was being waterboarded, Kai was being burned, Cole was being beaten, and Jay was being electrocuted. Garmadon stood pacing between each table, recording certain little reactions on a clipboard he held. As Zane entered the room, two guards moved in to block his exit, drawing guns and taking aim at his head. “Ah, the Zoneless Alternative Nonnegativity Engine. Otherwise known as Zane. Good to see that you got my message. Having a good trip down memory lane, are we?” Garmadon asked, a hint of amusement in his tone. “Release my friends, they are innocent.” Zane demanded, eyes sharp as glass. “Straight to the point, I see. Just to let you know, you’re in no position to be demanding anything from me,  _ period _ . You’re a machine, a valuable machine at that, which was built to take orders and follow them without question. I don’t understand why you think you have the authority to demand anything from the one who controls you.” Garmadon snapped back, annoyed. “You do  _ not _ control me. I have my own will. I am free.” Zane replied. “We’ll see about that. Zane, you’re the only to survive your experimental group, you know that? We took human subjects, transformed them into loyal, stable, fighting machines, but the process included injected liquidized metals directly into the human body, without the aid of sedatives. We used heavy metals, like Uranium, but our subjects only seemed to die. Then, we used lighter metals, like Tin. They came out disgusting and deformed. We couldn’t get that perfect bond between human and machine. Your father, due to your cancer, was injecting you with Titanium, which was replacing your damaged organs little by little. You  _ were _ getting better, but it would have meant you had to die and be reborn in order to become a proper machine. For that purpose,  _ I _ killed you.” Garmadon confessed. “You sick son-of-a-bitch!” Kai snapped angrily. “How dare you! He was a living person! He was alive!” Nya added. “You took away what made him human!” Jay cried. “Why? Why did you do that?” Cole murmured, his face heavily bruised by the beating he was taking. “We performed surgery to erase anything that would give you a hint of your past life. We needed you to be what we are not: man’s evolution.” Garmadon explained. “You erased my past, my family, my friends, my life. Erasing someone for the sake of evolution is not an adequate reason.” Zane argued. “True. Here’s what I have to ask you, Zane: Are you lonely? Do you want friends? People that are like you? That can do the same things?” Garmadon asked. Zane paused, calculating his answer. “I am not, not anymore.” Zane replied. Hearing the android’s answer, the businessman sighed. “You consider these kids your friends right? Have you ever considered the idea that they could be like you? Robotic? Andromedial? They would be young forever, and your friends, forever.” Garmadon teased. “Don’t listen to him, Zane! He’s a liar!” Jay cried, frightened. “He’s killed a lot of people, just to get what he wants!” Nya added. “He can’t make us like you, Zane! You’re one of a kind, unique!” Kai added, hissing from the pain from his burns. Zane looked to Cole, who’s eyes seemed to become glassier with each passing moment. “Cole? Are you alright?” Zane asked. Everyone’s attention turned to the black-haired teen, the other teens’ eyes going wide. “Cole! Get up!” Kai shouted, frantic. “Cole, wake up! Stay awake!” Nya added, struggling against the two guards holding her captive. “Cole, come on! Stay with us!” Jay cried, voice weak. Zane turned to glare at Garmadon, eyes burning holes into the man’s black-clad body. “What did you do to him?” he demanded, voice dark and dangerously sharp. “I think my guards might’ve beat him a little  _ too _ hard. They might have hit him in the head a couple times, too. I’m not too sure, though.” Garmadon grinned, flipping a coin between his fingers playfully. Zane gave Cole’s body a quick scan, making sure he wasn’t a in life-threatening condition. He had major bruising, no fractures thankfully, but his body was in shock. That’s why he wasn’t responsive. “What do you want from us?” Jay questioned. “I need more products. I need more of Zane. I need more subjects, more specimens, more successes. I need my empire to grow. I plan on taking over six percent of the stock market alone, specializing in military products.” Garmadon explained. “And what does that make us?” Kai barked. “ _ You _ are my products. I just have to render your bodies usable to the scientific field, but useless every other way.” Garmadon grinned, snapping his fingers. The guards surrounding each child began their abusive missions once more, their cries of pain and gasps for breath sickening Zane. “You render my friends, who are children, nothing more than stock to your company, which is growing in size. How do you view your own child?” Zane asked, poking the bear. Garmadon gave him a fierce glare, grinding his teeth. “Lloyd is an embarrassment. He’s not willing to take over the company when I’m gone. He  _ failed _ my experiments. He has no power in my household. He is a  _ disgrace _ to my family and the Garmadon name.” Garmadon hissed back. Taking the moment of vulnerability to attack, Zane swiftly transformed his arms into blades, dashing forward. Silently yet swiftly, he freed Nya, Jay, Kai, and Cole from their traps, dismantled their guards, and dismantled his own two guards. The moment Garmadon realized that Zane was no longer standing in front of him, he drew a knife from his belt and charged, yelling profanities at the android. Dashing forward at an inhuman speed, Zane buried his bladed forearm deep into Garmadon’s heart, the man’s blood seeping down his body and onto the floor. Fast footsteps approached on the staircase, Lloyd’s form appearing just seconds after. His eyes scanned the room, taking note of the numerous guard bodies, and finally, his father’s body slowly slipping off Zane’s arm and slumping to the ground. “Dad!” Lloyd cried, rushing forward to catch the man before he hit the ground. “I am sorry.” Zane stated, eyes downcast. Even as tears were pricking in Lloyd’s green eyes, the teen smiled. “Don’t be. You protected your friends, and you’ve just ensured that my mother and I are forever safe.” he replied. Zane turned away from the teen and his father, walking towards the others as he led them out of the basement and into the Garmadon mansion. Dozens of police officers were stationed just outside the door, their guns drawn in anticipation of a fight. Slowly, the teens emerged with their hands in the air, showing their harmlessness. As Zane stepped into the light, several officers took him aside for questioning, specifically for the blood coating his body. The others were wrapped in blankets, their parents were called, and Cole was treated for his shock. All four were eventually transported to the Ninjago City hospital, where they were being treated for their trauma and wounds. 


	6. Love

**Chapter 6: Love**

Cole awoke late in the night to the sound of his heart monitor’s beep, his eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness of the room. Looking around, he deemed his location a hospital and relaxed. Every part of his body was sore, probably bruised with the beating he took, and it ached something awful. Trying to shift onto his side, he suddenly noted the presence of a light weight against his chest and abdomen, similar to that of a body. Lifting his eyes to the sound of footsteps in the hallway, he looked up to see a nurse entering the room, a tray of food in her arms. Silently, she flicked on the light, smiling when he saw that he was awake. “Well, glad to see you’re awake, darling.” she greeted, offering him the tray. “Glad to be awake. How long have I been out?” Cole asked, taking the food and setting it on the small desk built into the bed. “About four days, sweetheart.” the nurse replied. Cole processed that information for a moment before looking down to see who was settled against him. Zane was curled comfortably into his chest, his face pressed into the teen’s muscular pectoral, his soft snores drifting out from Cole’s hospital gown. “That poor boy hasn’t left you since you got here. Read to you, slept beside you, talked to you, and whatnot. What a darling of a boyfriend you’ve got there, sweetheart.” the nurse smiled, patting Cole’s head happily. Cole blushed scarlet, face heating up at the nurse’s mention of Zane being his “boyfriend”. “Th-thanks, mam. And, thanks for the food.” Cole replied nervously, smiling back. “Not a problem, darling. Just call if you need anything.” the nurse replied, making her way out of the room. As Cole began to snack on the food brought to him, Zane woke up and lifted his head, bringing the two face to face. “Good night, Cole.” he greeted sleepily. “Good night, Zane. It seems like you were comfortable sleeping on me, so I just kind of left you be. Is that okay?” Cole asked. Without warning, Zane lunged forward, bringing the teen into a kiss. Cole didn’t know how to react at first, but quickly replied to Zane’s passion with his own feverish love. “I thought you weren’t going to awaken.” Zane confessed, his voice barely above a whisper when they finally broke apart. “I  _ did _ . I’m alive, and I’m here, so think of that, instead of whatever you were afraid of.” Cole replied. Zane rested his hand against Cole’s cheek, smiling softly. “I love you, Cole.” Zane confessed. “I love you, too, Zane.” Cole answered, bringing the android into another kiss. 

 

~ENDE


End file.
